Inhibitions
by ash the airbender
Summary: Ruby is beginning to have a bad influence on Belle. Not that Mr. Gold minds… (Rumbelle, Red Cricket)
1. Unresolved Sexual Tension

**Title:** Inhibitions  
**Summary: **Ruby is beginning to have a bad influence on Belle. Not that Mr. Gold minds…  
**Rating:** T  
**Pairings:** Rumbelle, Red Cricket, Snowing  
**Chapter Notes:** More Red Cricket than Rumbelle in this chapter, but don't worry, that particular tale as old as time will return with a vengeance ;)_ Please_ review!

XXX

**1: Unresolved Sexual Tension**

**_In which Ruby Lucas teaches Belle the ins and outs of Storybrooke, and a certain waitress acts entirely out of character around a certain psychiatrist…_**

After her reunion with her true love – and after several heated arguments about his irresponsible use of magic – Belle begins to grow accustomed to life in Storybrooke, outside the hospital.

Ruby is a great help, always available to spare a few minutes in her busy workday to explain a foreign concept to the princess-turned-prisoner-turned-librarian. The waitress knows virtually everything there is to know about Storybrooke; she picks up gossip like no one else. Granny's diner is the perfect place to hear about the goings-on of their isolated little town, so in her average workday Ruby learns, either unintentionally or by purposefully eavesdropping with her wolfish sense of hearing (usually the latter), tons of useful information that she is only too keen to divulge to her curious bookkeeping friend.

"Rumor has it," she always begins, leaning across the counter with her elbows resting on the shiny surface to whisper with Belle as the as the latter drinks her morning cocoa. Rumor has it Sean and Ashley picked a date in late spring for their wedding, rumor has it Regina's going to Dr. Hopper for therapy, rumor has it Hansel and Gretel stole all the remaining apples off the Queen's mutilated tree.

And when Ruby runs out of town gossip to divulge, on days when very little is happening and Belle still has quite a bit of time left of her lunch hour, they fall back on another popular female pursuit: chatting about men.

It takes a while, naturally, for Belle to trust Ruby enough to open up to her about Rumplestiltskin, or Mr. Gold, as he's known here. The last time she confessed the details of her complicated relationship with the man, she ended up being tricked by an evil queen and kicked out of the Dark Castle. She is not eager to repeat that mistake again.

In fact, it isn't until Ruby lets slip a tidbit of her own love life that Belle realizes the waitress, her only other friend in this strange new world, has no ulterior motive and can be trusted entirely.

It happens one day about halfway through Belle's lunch hour. Dr. Archie Hopper, the town psychiatrist, enters the diner and takes a seat beside Belle at the counter. He gives Belle his usual warm, friendly smile. Belle takes a moment to revise her mental list of friends in this new world. She sees Dr. Hopper every week to talk about her imprisonment, her assimilation into Storybrooke, her problems with Rumplestiltskin, and anything else that's on her mind. Dr. Hopper is very kind and patient when she doesn't feel like taking about her time in the hospital, and strives to be accepting of her relationship with and feelings for Rumplestiltskin, even though he doesn't like the man.

"Hello, Belle," he says warmly, angling himself to face her as Ruby takes another customer's order, her eyes occasionally flicking over to the pair of them with an indeterminable expression on her face.

"Hello, Dr. Hopper," Belle replies. When she first escaped the hospital basement, she was uncomfortable speaking to anyone but Rumplestiltskin, but Dr. Hopper worked with her and now the words come easily. "You aren't usually here during my lunch hour. It's nice to see you outside of your office."

"I didn't know you ate lunch here," Dr. Hopper confesses. "I'll have to stop by more often. How's your day?"

Belle shrugs. "Quiet," she says. "I've had plenty of time to catch up on my reading. There are so many wonderful authors I've never had the chance to read! Dickens, Shakespeare, Austen, Wells… It's unbelievable!"

Dr. Hopper laughs, and if there is a twinge of sadness to his laugh, neither of them brings it up. "Leave it to you to find something good about the curse that sent us here," he says, but their conversation ends there as Ruby approaches them, standing on the other side of the counter.

"Enjoying your sandwich, Belle?" she asks, to which Belle takes a bite and emphatically nods. Ruby chuckles. "Good." She turns to Dr. Hopper expectantly, eyes wide with… anticipation? Hope? But that doesn't make any sense… Belle observes their encounter in her peripheral vision, intrigued. Ruby's casual confidence falters, which _never_ happens. Something is up…

"Archie… Dr. Hopper," Ruby amends, averting her eyes to inspect her perfectly polished nails.

"Archie is fine," Dr. Hopper assures her earnestly, folding up his menu and meeting the waitress's eyes. She looks up at him and grins, the hopeful look on her face returning.

"Archie, then." Ruby beams. "What'll it be for you today?" Something in the way Ruby asks the question gives Belle a sneaking suspicion… The librarian's eyes twinkle, and her lips turn up in a sly smile.

"Oh, my usual," he replies, attempting to sound casual as he hands over his menu. The effect, however, is somewhat diminished when his elbow knocks over the saltshaker and his face turns bright red. "Sorry!" he exclaims, but Ruby just laughs a little self-consciously and picks up the overturned object, setting it aside and clearing away the spilled salt. Belle's suspicions are confirmed.

Dr. Hopper has his weekly appointment with Henry at one, so he can't stay long. He hesitates a moment before leaving, hovers at his seat staring after Ruby's retreating form as if he's just now remembered something. But after a moment, the longing in his eyes transforms into resignation and the psychiatrist dons his coat and heads out the door.

Belle turns to Ruby with a significant look, one eyebrow arched. Ruby pretends not to notice, instead wiping Dr. Hopper's coffee mug. Belle waits patiently for Ruby to meet her gaze, finally getting the waitress's attention with a knowing, "Ruby…"

Startled, Ruby drops the mug. It shatters at her feet, and she curses loudly.

"Red, whatever you broke, you'd better clean it up before you get glass stuck in your foot!" Granny calls from the kitchen.

"I'm on it, Granny!" Ruby gratefully ducks beneath the counter, eager to hide her face, which is beginning to match her name.

When she finally reemerges, Ruby has composed herself and plasters on a shaky grin.

"Ruby, don't give me that look," Belle chides. "I saw the way you and Dr. Hopper were looking at each other across the counter. I know unresolved sexual tension when I see it."

"What? Me and Archie?" Ruby sputters, flustered. "No! He's like—" She looks at Belle and stops midsentence, eyes wide and guilty, the rest of her protest dying on her lips: "He's… like… way older than me." She winces. "Oops."

Belle's eyebrow rises farther still. Ruby sighs, resigned. "You're right. If anyone in this town could understand, it's definitely you." She looks longingly out the window in the direction of Dr. Hopper's office. "At least I won't have to worry about Granny disapproving. She thinks he's a total gentleman."

"He is a total gentleman," Belle asserts. "The other day, I was entering the library with a stack of books in my arms and he happened to be passing by, and he went out of his way to hold the door open for me. And then he stayed and offered to help me shelve the books. _During his lunch hour_." Belle shakes her head in disbelief. "I didn't know they made men like that anymore."

Ruby laughs. "That's exactly my point!" she agrees. "He's so sweet and kind and chivalrous. And he's actually very smart. The other day I was offhandedly humming a song from that musical… What's the one? Les Something-or-Other?"

"_Les Miserables_," Belle supplies.

"Right," Ruby says with a dismissive wave of her hand. "Anyways, Granny has curse-memories of seeing it in New York years ago, so she's a big fan. Not only did Archie recognize the song I was singing, but it turns out he's familiar with the musical, he's read the book, _and_ he's read the _original_ version of the book. In _French_." Ruby shakes her head. "He speaks _French_, Belle. The language of love!"

Now it's Belle's turn to laugh. "I can see you're completely smitten." Ruby twirls a lock of her hair between her fingers.

"Yeah…" she says dreamily, staring off into space a moment before snapping out of it and returning her attention to Belle. "But you can't tell _anyone_," she adds vehemently, eyes wide.

"Who's there to tell?" Belle says jokingly. "I only talk to two other people in this town, besides you, and I have tact enough to know not to tell Dr. Hopper, and even _I_ understand what a terrible idea it would be to tell Rum about _anyone's _love life."

Ruby laughs. "You have a point. Speaking of love lives, I heard the most intriguing rumor the other day about you and Mr. Gold…"

And from that day on, the two friends talk of relationships almost every day at lunch, in whispers over the counter after Dr. Hopper leaves, or in the library, when Ruby stops by on her break. Mostly they exchange meaningless updates on their respective love lives, nothing significant, until one day when a third party joins their gossip group…


	2. Someone There Who Wasn't There Before

**Title:** Inhibitions  
**Summary: **Ruby is beginning to have a bad influence on Belle. Not that Mr. Gold minds…  
**Rating:** T  
**Pairings:** Rumbelle, Red Cricket, Snowing  
**Chapter Notes:** What goes on between bookshelves…

XXX

**2: Someone There Who Wasn't There Before**

_**In which a couple of best friends have no idea what to do with their men, and we learn that the healthiest relationship in Storybrooke wasn't always that way…**_

Mary Margaret Blanchard is the last person in Storybrooke who Belle would expect to ever experience relationship issues. The infamous Snow White and her Charming prince act as if they were made for each other.

Belle has never met either of the royals personally, but she's certainly seen them around, and they really are the sweetest pair, always holding hands and grinning like they're the luckiest man and woman on Earth. Whenever she sees them, Belle cannot help but feel a twinge of envy for their perfect chemistry. They seem to fit together like two pieces of a puzzle, whereas Belle and Rumplestiltskin are constantly skirting around each other, walking a tightrope of perilous emotions and uncontrollable magic.

But when Mary Margaret accompanies Ruby to the library one day to meet the infamous beauty who tamed the town beast, Belle learns that the Charmings' idyllic relationship has not always been as easy as they make it seem.

"Oh yeah," Mary Margaret assures the librarian as the three women sit at one of the tables in the library, leaning towards each other conspiratorially with their elbows resting on the wood. "David and I had plenty of problems before Emma broke the curse. First he was unconscious, then when he woke it turned out he was married… to _someone else_!"

Belle gasps, disbelieving. "Regina's curse married him to someone else?" she breathes, voice low as if discussing a scandalous topic. "That's horrible! I don't know how you could possibly have managed."

Mary Margaret laughs. "Says the one of us who was locked up for twenty-eight years in the grimy basement of a hospital and told she was insane," she says. "Compared to you, I had it easy. And I'm willing to bet living with Mr. Gold is no walk in the park either."

"Oh." Belle blushes lightly, turning a faint shade of pink and angling her gaze towards her hands clasped on the tabletop. "I— I don't live with him anymore. And when I did it was only because I had nowhere else to go."

"I'm sorry," Mary Margaret is quick to say in her sweet, soothing voice, "I just assumed…" She stops, laughs ruefully. "And that's where I went wrong," she muses. "I _assumed_. Just like everyone in Storybrooke who _assumed_ I killed Kathryn."

"It's alright," Belle says, instantly forgiving Mary Margaret, because who could hold a grudge against the kind and lovely Snow White? Besides, Belle is more than used to people making assumptions about her. This isn't even one of the worst. "I can see why you would think that. But no, I was just his housekeeper back in the old world. I mean, yes, I fell in love with him…" That day she tried to open the curtains and Rumplestiltskin caught her when she fell, Belle thinks, is when she first realized her feelings for the man. "But we haven't… I mean, I live in the apartment here now."

Mary Margaret bites her lip, seemingly holding something back. Ruby nudges her, prompting her to ask, "If you aren't… _living together_," she infuses the words with implication, "Then what, exactly, _is_ your relationship? You love him, but… I mean, I'm just having trouble imagining it," she admits. Belle understands. It's the same way she felt when she discovered that Ruby and Dr. Hopper – two of the most extreme polar opposites she knew – harbored feelings for one another. She attempts to explain, but finds it more difficult than she anticipated.

"Rumplestiltskin," she begins, then pauses. "He's…" What? Not "boyfriend," not "lover" or "partner." "Companion" implies a level of commitment that as of yet remains unspoken between them, but they are definitely more than just friends. "He's my true love," Belle finally decides, speaking with a confidence that she doesn't quite feel, hoping that in doing so she might make the words sound truer even to herself.

At those two magic words, Mary Margaret's face softens, and she reaches out to rest her hand on Belle's. "In that case, I don't see any reason why anyone should oppose the two of you being together," she asserts. "From what I've heard, you've been a good influence on him. And true love should never be torn apart." This last statement brings an unidentifiable edge to Mary Margaret's voice. She sounds almost… regretful. Not the sort of regret she would feel for having lost her husband during the curse, but a different, perhaps even guilty sort of regret. As if once upon a time she had been the one to do the breaking apart.

Seeing her friend's obvious emotion. Ruby steps in to direct the conversation back towards Belle. "But Belle," she says, grinning to ease the tension, "You haven't told me the latest. What's been going on between the beauty and the beast? Any progress?"

Belle shakes her head and sighs. "I wish you wouldn't call him that," she bemoans. "And no, hardly any progress. We're both kept very busy, me with the books and him with his bloody magic, and when we're together he treats me like I'm some porcelain doll that's constantly liable to break. It's maddening, actually; we've barely kissed since we were first reunited. I don't know if he thinks I'm still delicate and unstable, if he's afraid of overstepping any sort of imagined boundaries, or if he's yet again under some misguided impression that I could never find someone like him attractive…"

"I know the feeling!" Ruby exclaims, in that enthusiastic female-camaraderie, no-way-your-man-does-that-too sort of way. "Every time Archie starts to almost flirt with me, every time I think, _This will be the day he finally asks me out_, he gets cold feet, like he can't figure the hot young Ruby Lucas would ever have a thing for him!" She sighs through her perfect white teeth. "I'm not that young; not counting the twenty-eight years we didn't age, I'm nearly thirty!

"And then there's his whole self-confidence issue; he has absolutely no clue what a catch he is! Sure there are more attractive men out there, but he's kind and sweet and sensitive and caring and devoted and intelligent. He's the sort of man you could settle down with, as opposed to just a one-night stand. But he refuses to see it!"

"It sounds like you both have similar problems," Mary Margaret observes when Ruby has finished fuming. "Neither Archie or Mr. Gold think you're _that_ interested in or attracted to them. But if there was a way to _show_ them how you felt…"

"Like what, shove him up against a wall and force my tongue down his throat?" Ruby says it sarcastically, but her eyes sparkle like she's actually tempted by the idea.

"I meant more like flirt," Mary Margaret says with a laugh, "But your way works too."

"Flirt?" Belle asks, seeking clarification. "As in…"

"Oh, you know." Ruby waves her hand vaguely and lowers her voice to a practiced suggestive tone. "'Hey, handsome,' or, 'What'll it be for you today, _Dr. Hopper_?'"

"'I'll have the smokin' hot waitress with a side of whipped cream, please,'" Mary Margaret teases. "'_Just_ whipped cream.'" She waggles her eyebrows suggestively, and all three women break out into absurd laughter.

"You get the drift," Ruby concludes.

Belle has to admit, she likes the sound of that. Flirting with Rumplestiltskin… Or, as Ruby mentioned earlier, shoving him up against a wall and forcing her tongue down his throat. She feels a tingle run down her spine just imagining it.

_I think I just might give that a try,_ she thinks, biting her lip. Who knows? It could work.

In a marvelous display of the worst timing Belle has ever seen, Rumplestiltskin chooses that moment to enter the library, looking around at the librarian's desk for Belle. When his eyes land on her, he smiles, but looks warily at the two other women beside her. Belle waves, getting to her feet.

"Excuse me," she says to the ladies. They stifle giggles behind their hands. Ruby utters a quiet, "Go get 'em, Belle," and Mary Margaret flashes a brief thumbs-up. Belle rolls her eyes and approaches Rumplestitlskin, guiding him to the other side of a bookshelf so the women cannot see them.

"Hey, sorry, we were just chatting," she explains, keeping her hand on Rumplestiltskin's arm and standing unusually close to him. He seems wary of her stance, but doesn't bring it up. "I didn't realize you were coming to visit. It's so nice to see you." She smiles sincerely, because it _is_ nice to see him; it's _always_ nice to see him.

"Belle," he says in a low voice, eyes catching hers and holding them intensely. She would be frightened, if it weren't for the tender way his hands gravitated to her elbows and the barest flicker of a smile on his lips. "I was wondering if you might like to go out to dinner with me tonight. Just us, somewhere nice."

Belle's mouth hangs slightly open. "Of… of course!" she exclaims, careful to keep her voice down. "I would love to." She grins, worries her lower lip, and wonders… could she…?

She takes a chance, seizing the collar of Rumplestiltkin's shirt and dragging him down till their mouths clashed together. Her arms immediately go to circle his neck and shoulders, and his wrap around her thin waist, drawing her near. His cane clatters to the floor, toppling over a few books on its way down. Belle kisses him intensely, deeply, thoroughly before pulling away to grin and gasp in air, insanely gratified.

"Till tonight, then?" she asks, breathing deeply. Rumplestiltskin stares at her, wide eyed, his hands still lingering at her waist… well, by now they've strayed down to her hips, but she decides to let it slide.

"Yeah," he breathes, noticing his cane for the first time and bending down to fetch it. Belle touches her lips to his cheek and gives a dainty wave, seeing him out the door before skipping over to join her friends.

Ruby raises an eyebrow, and she doesn't even need to ask; Belle immediately dishes out the details.

"He asked me to dinner," she informs them. "And then I snogged him."

"I _told _you," Ruby says to Mary Margaret, holding out her hand expectantly. "You owe me five bucks."


	3. One Thousand Wingbeats

**Title:** Inhibitions  
**Summary: **Ruby is beginning to have a bad influence on Belle. Not that Mr. Gold minds…  
**Rating:** T  
**Pairings:** Rumbelle, Red Cricket, Snowing  
**Chapter Notes:** The Rumbelle date was supposed to be one chapter, but it became two, so here is the first! Pure, unmitigated fluff. Enjoy and _please_ review!

XXX

**3: One Thousand Wingbeats**

_**In which Ruby is quite the fashion consultant, and there are definitely birds in Belle's chest…**_

The evening begins with a knock on the door to Belle's apartment above the library. There is a door on the side of the building that opens on a set of stairs leading straight to the apartment, so that visitors can stop by even after library hours.

It is six o'clock, still two hours before Rumplestiltskin said he would pick her up for their date. Belle double-checks her watch and crinkles her brow; if it's him, he's very early, but who else could it be? She shrugs, sets aside _Pride & Prejudice_ – which she is reading, already for the fifth time – and makes her way to the door. Only one way to find out…

"Ruby!" she exclaims, slightly surprised. The waitress is out of uniform, dressed in a red plaid shirt and fitted jeans, stylishly casual. Belle envies Ruby's effortless allure, although she knows Ruby would be just as quick to express her wish to look more like Belle. The grass is always greener, Belle supposes.

Ruby lets herself in, and Belle is beyond confused. "What are you doing here?" she asks politely, shutting the door behind her unexpected visitor. Ruby spins around to face her, an artful grin brightening her features.

"I'm here to help you get ready for your date!" She says this as if it's the most obvious thing in the world. "There's a lot at stake here; we need to make sure everything from your clothes to your attitude has Mr. Gold completely seduced." She waggles her eyebrows suggestively, her tongue running along her upper row of teeth. Belle is skeptical.

"I don't want to look trashy," she says timidly. She has never dressed to seduce someone, and isn't sure that she wants to.

"No, no, that's not what I'm getting at," Ruby assures her. "I used to dress completely trashy, during the curse, and it attracted all the wrong kinds of men. What we're going to do to _you_," she explains, "Is raid your closet and find the pieces that highlight your best assets. Which means… we'll first need to figure out what your best assets are." She pauses, considering something, before gesturing for Belle to move. "Stand back a little. I have to get a good look at you."

Belle does as she is told, stepping back for Ruby to appraise her. She spins slowly when Ruby tells her to, and Ruby sighs enviously. "Just _look_ _at you_," Ruby says, almost to herself. "You don't have any _bad_ assets. Oh, this is going to be so much fun. Okay. Let's start with the basics: you absolutely _have_ to wear blue. With your eyes, it would be a travesty if you didn't."

Rolling her eyes at her friend's exaggeration, Belle leads the way to her bedroom. Ruby throws open the sliding door to Belle's closet, standing in a dramatic pose with her hands on either side of the doorframe, face scrunched up in scrutiny.

"Do you know where Gold's taking you?" she asks, glancing over her shoulder at Belle, who is seated at the edge of her bed. Belle shakes her head.

"No. Somewhere nice, he said, but he didn't say where." Belle shrugs. "Obviously somewhere in Storybrooke."

Ruby nods. "Okay, that's a start," she says slowly. "Storybrooke doesn't really have any ultra-luxurious dining options, so we can definitely get away with not wearing a dress."

"I don't mind wearing a dress," Belle says. She considers herself very flexible when it comes to clothing, preferring to dress in a variety of styles instead of limiting herself to one.

"I know," Ruby acknowledges, "But I just can't get over the image of you in a nice pair of tight pants, with your legs… You could make it work." She nods authoritatively, rooting through Belle's drawer of neatly-folded pants and withdrawing a dark pair of almost skin-tight jeans. Ruby holds them up and squints at them a moment before nodding and tossing them to Belle.

"Wear these," Ruby says. "Change into them now; I have to see how you look. Oh! But first, you need some nice underwear… Even if you don't plan on anyone seeing it, I've found in my personal experience that wearing a nice bra and underwear made out of high quality fabric makes me feel more confident. It's the principle of the thing. So pick out some underthings and go change; I'll have some tops for you to choose from when you come out."

Belle plucks one of her nicer bras and a fresh pair of underwear out of her lingerie drawer and takes them with the jeans into the bathroom to change, stepping out with her arms around her bare stomach, feeling extremely self-conscious. Ruby notices this and smiles sympathetically.

"No need to be uncomfortable," she assures her. "You were a princess once, right? So you had help getting dressed all the time. And besides, in this world, women get dressed and undressed in front of each other every time they go to the gym. It's no big deal." Ruby gestures sweepingly to several shirts, laid out in a neat row at the foot of Belle's bed. "I think any of these would work really well for tonight."

Ruby has chosen five options. Belle immediately reaches for the one on the end: a faintly glittery blue top that she has never worn. It has been gathering dust in her closet since she purchased it on an impulse months ago; she's never had anywhere to wear it. Ruby nods approvingly. "Good choice. Let's see it, then." She smiles widely. "You're going to be irresistible."

By the time Ruby leaves, it is seven-thirty, half an hour before Rumplestiltskin will arrive. Belle is wearing her jeans and sparkly blue top, with a black cashmere cardigan and black suede boots with half-inch heels. She also has a long silver necklace dangling from a chain around her neck, and her hair is hanging down around her shoulders. Ruby did a marvelous job of helping her decide what to wear and how to look. She certainly _feels_ irresistible. Hopefully Rumplestiltskin thinks so too.

He arrives ten minutes early, knocking at her door. She answers it eagerly; she's been sitting on the sofa just waiting for him to show up. She takes one final moment to fix her hair before opening the door with a brilliant smile.

The instant he lays eyes on her, Belle monitors Rumplestiltskin's reaction carefully. She sees all the promising signs: his eyes widen marginally as they rake over her figure, lingering on her legs for what feels like almost an inappropriate amount of time (Ruby's choice of the tight jeans was definitely a good one; Belle will have to thank her for that later), and his grip on his cane seems to tighten, his knuckles going almost white. His eyes then flick quickly up to her eyes, skimming over the entirety of her torso in a heartbeat. Belle bites her bottom lip; this is exactly what she wanted to see.

On his part, Rumplestiltskin is looking as put-together as ever. Belle looks him over in turn and appreciates what she sees. She doesn't think she's ever seen him looking like a slob. He obviously takes care of himself.

When he finally regains the ability to speak, Rumplestiltskin holds out his hand to her, greeting her warmly. "Hello, dearie," he says in that magnificent voice of his. Belle swears, every time he calls her "dearie," she melts a little more on the inside. It's starting to become a problem (not that she's complaining). "Shall we be off?"

_Oh yeah,_ the part of her that's probably been under Ruby's influence for too long thinks. _Although maybe we could skip past the whole "dinner" part and just go straight to your place? I'd definitely be up for that._

But Belle forces that part of her mind to be silent as she allows Rumplestiltskin to guide her down the stairs, out the door, and to his car. Always a perfect gentleman, he goes around to the passenger side door and opens it for her so she can climb in, then crosses back to the driver side and sits beside her.

He doesn't start the car right away; instead, he pauses, looking at her curiously. Just as Belle is beginning to feel uncomfortable – What's wrong? Is there something on her face? – he speaks.

"You know, love, you look beautiful tonight," he casually observes.

There are definitely birds in Belle's chest, because that's the only logical explanation for the feeling of thousands of wings beating against her ribcage; a thousand birds flapping around, trying their utmost to escape.

Her cheeks are probably bright red, and she can hear Ruby's voice inside of her squealing – _Oh my gosh oh my gosh oh my gosh!_ – and this is completely, utterly ridiculous, but it's okay, because Rumplestiltskin called her "love," and he thinks she looks beautiful, and in that moment Belle is one hundred percent certain that she is the happiest woman in the world.


	4. Candles and Lampposts

**Title:** Inhibitions  
**Summary: **Ruby is beginning to have a bad influence on Belle. Not that Mr. Gold minds…  
**Rating:** T  
**Pairings:** Rumbelle, Red Cricket, Snowing  
**Chapter Notes:** Moderate T rating, nothing explicit

XXX

**4: Candles and Lampposts**

_**In which one thing leads to another, and before either of them know it, Belle and Rumplestitlskin are too far gone…**_

The dinner is an absolute picture of romance. Rumplestiltskin takes Belle to an expensive restaurant – the sort where the menu is comprised entirely of foods Belle can't pronounce the names of – where he has arranged for a private table in the back just for the two of them. There's a cream-colored tablecloth with a single rose in a glass vase in the center. Every so often, as they eat, Belle spares a glance up at the way the candlelight dances across Rumplestiltskin's face. Whenever she does, her stomach does a little flip and she cannot help but smile.

No matter what Rumplestiltskin believes, Belle thinks her man is quite handsome. And tonight is all about showing him that. Once they've finished eating, while they wait for their dessert orders to arrive, they make casual conversation, Belle telling him all about her new favorite books and the library's regular visitors. He listens intently, his hand resting on hers on the table.

"Emma brings Henry over every day, of course," Belle says. "We chat sometimes, but she's awfully distant. Dr. Hopper is much more enjoyable to talk to, and he makes a point to stop by whenever he can. And then there's Ruby, who comes over during her break."

Dessert arrives, and their conversation once again peters out as Belle tries to scarf down her tiramisu – a wonderful concoction Rumplestiltskin insisted she try – in the most polite way possible. Rumplestiltskin was right; she does love it. She might have to have him take her here more often.

Rumplestiltskin finishes before Belle – he leaves half his dessert untouched, claiming to be stuffed – and watches her unobtrusively. Belle gets the sense that she should feel uncomfortable with his gaze on her, practically seeing straight through to her soul, it seems. But the look in Rumplestiltskin's eyes is so full of devotion that she is incapable of feeling anything but bliss.

"I love it when you look at me that way," she confesses as she dabs at her mouth with the cloth napkin on her lap. Rumplestiltskin has enough tact to feign surprise, wearing a, _Who, me? I wasn't looking at you in any special way_, expression. Belle shoots him a look that tells him not to bother pretending. He sighs and relents. Belle loves how they can communicate so much without saying a word.

"In what way?" he then asks, though Belle is pretty sure they both know exactly what she means. She answers anyway, a soft blush creeping up her cheeks, and refuses to let her eyes leave his penetrating gaze.

"Like I'm the most beautiful sight you've ever seen," she says shyly, biting her lip. Rumplestiltskin's hand slides up to encircle her wrist, and he holds her gaze intensely, almost fiercely.

"You are," he insists in a low voice. Belle represses a pleasant shudder. _Gods_, his _voice_. Low and smooth, exotic and seductive… And Belle has known him long enough to have realized that his accent thickens considerably when he's feeling particularly attracted to her.

Rumplestiltskin has to put their enticing conversation on hold a moment when the waiter returns with the check and the pair of them stand, him pocketing his wallet and Belle fetching their coats. She drapes his over his shoulders, letting her hands linger longingly at his back for a few extra moments before forcing herself to snap out of it. She can't let her imagination get away with her, not just let. (Although she's always had an entirely overactive imagination, which she's been putting to good use these past few weeks when she has nothing better to do in the library and can't stop her mind wandering to thoughts of Rumplestiltskin.)

Once the pair emerges into the brisk night air, Rumplestiltskin unabashedly takes Belle's hand in his. It is rare that he ever shows his affection so publicly – if it were up to him their relationship would be entirely secret, if only to protect her from his laundry list of mortal enemies – which only serves to make the moment all the more special. Belle is practically trembling with anticipation; this is her chance to say it. To get the message out and pray he understands.

"Rumplestiltskin," she says, her tone turning an entirely new kind of serious. "I know… you probably won't believe me when I tell you this," she begins, slowly, as she carefully selects the right words to communicate what she's trying to say.

"Try me," he says with a smile, sparing her a meaningful glance as they make their way down the street. They are approaching the fork in the road where they usually part ways; one path leads to Rumplestiltskin's house and the other to the library. Belle stops them at the intersection; they stand near the side of the building containing Dr. Hopper's office, beneath a lamppost illuminating the otherwise black night. It's late, but Belle doesn't feel the least bit tired. Whenever she's around Rumplestiltskin, a part of her always feels so… alive.

"I love you," she says, over-enunciating the words in order to make her point clear. "But it's more than that," she adds before he can respond, one hand going to his shoulder, the other to his cheek, drawing him near.

"I… I want to be with you," she confesses bravely. Her cheeks burn red and she briefly averts her eyes. "I'm… attracted to you." Again, he opens his mouth to reply, and again, Belle doesn't give him the chance to, her next words spewing out a mile a minute as she begins to more or less ramble.

"I know you don't think it's possible for me to feel this way about you, because you're you, you're the Dark One, you're older than me and you walk with a cane, but gods, Rum," her voice grows stronger and both her hands are resting on his shoulders now, almost shaking him because why, why won't he just _see_ how much she _wants_ him? "_I don't care_.

"I don't care what anyone else thinks; not my father, not the Sheriff, _certainly_ not the Mayor. I love you; I waited over thirty years for you and I don't think I can wait any longer." She holds his gaze, and the silence between them stretches out for several long, excruciating moments.

When Belle begins to wonder if Rumplestiltskin is going to respond at all, or if he's waiting for her to say more, she says it again: "I lo—"

He cuts her off by pressing his mouth firmly to hers, one hand at her waist, the other burying itself in her rich, chocolatey curls. As cliché as it is, Belle feels fireworks go off inside her the moment their lips meet.

When they break apart, Belle is breathless, clutching Rumplestiltskin, anchoring herself to him. His face is a combination of desire and uncertainty.

"I'm sorry," he begins, but Belle quells his doubts by interrupting him with a quick kiss.

"Don't you dare apologize," she whispers, their lips a breath apart. "This is exactly what I want. That was exactly what I wanted." Her palms lie flat against his chest; she slides them up to encircle her arms around his neck. Her eyes sparkle, and the corners of her mouth twitch up as she presses her body flush against his.

"Rum," she says bewitchingly, lips parted slightly as she gazes up at him from beneath her lashes, mimicking the look she has seen Ruby give Dr. Hopper, "I don't really want to go home to the library tonight." _If you know what I mean,_ she inwardly adds.

Clearly, he knows what she means. But he hesitates. "Belle, I don't know if that's a good idea."

Belle rolls her eyes and firmly presses their mouths together a third time. Her head hits the brick wall of the building behind them and she arches into him. Rumplestiltskin's protests are forgotten; he trails kisses down her jaw and neck until she grabs his face and tugs his mouth back up to hers. In between kisses, he manages to gasp one last afterthought.

"You're sure it isn't just the wine?"

Now he's just inventing excuses to be worried. She only had a sip or two of wine at dinner. She nods against his neck and nips him lightly at the hollow of his throat; he gasps and she chuckles against his skin.

"Have I made myself clear, then?" Belle asks Rumplestiltskin, looking up with a gleam with a gleam in her sea-blue eyes. His expression has changed to one of mischief; it's shocking, but for a moment he looks strikingly like his old self, and in that moment Belle remembers why she fell so hard for him in the first place.

"I don't know, dearie," he says, voice husky. His hand slips down from his waist, and he's starting to lose his rigid control; she can tell from how thick his accent has become, how his words are barely comprehensible. "I'm not sure I'm entirely convinced. Perhaps if you were to show me exactly how you feel…"

She bites her lip, head spinning, knees weak. Her voice is thick and sultry, "I intend to."


	5. The Seduction of Archibald Hopper

**Title:** Inhibitions  
**Summary:** Ruby is beginning to have a bad influence on Belle. Not that Mr. Gold minds…  
**Rating:** T  
**Pairings:** Rumbelle, Red Cricket, Snowing  
**Chapter Notes:** The final chapter! This is the end, but keep a lookout for new Rumbelle stories from me in the very near future :)

XXX

**5: The Seduction of Archibald Hopper**

_**In which there are more than enough happily ever after's to go around…**_

It is Saturday, but Belle goes to the diner anyways. She has to see Ruby, tell her the forward approach worked even better than she expected.

She woke up this morning plastered to Rumplestiltskin. It was the best feeling in the world.

"Rum," she murmured, nudging him gently. As much as she wished she could stay like this forever, she needed to get his limbs disentangled from her if she was to get anything to fill the starving emptiness in her stomach.

"Not getting up," he replied, his accent thick as molasses. His eyes were shut and he showed no sign of being awake, other than having just spoken. The arm slung around her waist tightened, drawing her nearer to him.

"I'm glad you're comfortable, but I need breakfast. I'm _starved_." She made another halfhearted effort to extricate herself, but to no avail.

Rumplestiltskin groaned, tightening his grip on Belle further still. Was he even listening? "Stay," he pleaded, burying his face in her hair. Belle sighed.

"I can't say no to you," she admitted, and settled into his arms. They laid there in blissful silence a moment before Belle spoke again.

"I love you."

Unlike the first time she told him, Rumplestiltskin did not contradict or shout or break things. He did not even hesitate. "I love you too."

Fondly recalling the events of that morning, Belle quickens her pace and shoves the door to the diner open. She still hasn't eaten, and her stomach feels like a black hole. Ruby is at the counter, making herself coffee in the otherwise empty diner. The moment she lays eyes on Belle, she lights up with a mischievous grin.

"Oh my gosh, Belle, you're _glowing_," she observes, dashing around the counter to take Belle's hands in hers. She lowers her voice conspiratorially. "Did you and Mr. Gold…?" She trails off meaningfully, looking searchingly into Belle's eyes.

"Maaaybe," Belle sings, but her grin surely gives it away. Ruby squeals and jumps up and down in a girlish victory dance, twirling Belle around.

"Belle!" she exclaims, grinning like a madwoman. "Just yesterday you told us you two had barely kissed! Way to take things fast, you absolute slut!" Belle isn't offended; she knows Ruby means it playfully. Besides, she's still too happy to let anything get her down. "How was it? You have to tell me _everything_."

"No! Ruby!" Belle yanks herself out of Ruby's grasp. The waitress gives a pout with wide puppy-dog-eyes, and Belle sighs. "Fine. He took me out to dinner, and he was going to walk me home, so I told him I didn't _want_ to go back to the library…"

"_Oh my gosh_," Ruby squeals. "Go on!" she urges eagerly.

"I don't know!" Belle says, red as a cherry. "We snogged and went back to his house."

"How was it?" Ruby asks. Belle shrugs.

"I don't really have any basis of comparison."

"OH MY GOSH," Ruby shrieks. "YOU WERE A VIRGIN?!"

At that moment, Granny comes into the diner from the kitchen, looking thoroughly unamused. "By all means, Red, continue interrogating Miss Belle on the details of her sex life," she says sarcastically. "Don't mind me."

The door jangles as it opens. Mary Margaret steps in, smiling sweetly. "Who's sex life are we talking about?" she whispers when she reaches the waitress and her librarian friend.

"Belle's," Ruby replies with a giggle. Mary Margaret gapes.

"Belle!" she exclaims, placing a hand on the brunette's shoulder. "Is that—?"

But Mary Margaret's question – and Granny's simultaneous eyeroll – is cut off by the door opening yet again, and the familiar thump of a cane entering the establishment. Granny's eyes narrow and she disappears into the kitchen. Her loathing for the town loan shark is no secret.

"There you are, love," Rumplestiltskin says, smiling sweetly despite the presence of others in the room. Belle likes this new side of him. She likes it even more when he places his hand on her waist and draws her near. She leans back against him. Mary Margaret's mouth hangs open, and Ruby barely suppresses a laugh. "I was thinking you'd gone to get something to eat." His eyes dart between the three guilty-looking young women, and he raises an eyebrow. "What's everyone standing around talking about, then?"

"Nothing!" Belle asserts quickly before Ruby can get her into any more trouble. Rumplestiltskin will surely bring this up later, but for now, that inevitable conversation is delayed by the arrival of a certain psychiatrist, who stalls in the doorway at the sight of everyone gathered.

"Looks like everyone in town decided to get breakfast at the same time," he says jokingly, approaching the group but staying a respectful distance from Ruby. The waitress appears irked by Dr. Hopper's gentlemanliness. Normally that is one of the qualities Ruby most treasures in the man, but today it has apparently gotten too much.

Eyes narrowed, Ruby takes Belle aside and whispers, "So my idea to basically force him to accept that you're attracted to him worked, right?" Belle smirks.

"Like a charm."

Ruby's expression matches Belle's, and both their eyes sparkle with mischief. "Perfect."

The two break apart, and Ruby turns to face Dr. Hopper.

"Archie," she says boldly, her stance utterly confident, almost to the point of intimidation. Dr. Hopper blushes, thinking he's been caught ogling Ruby.

"Y-yes?"

Ruby doesn't answer, not with words. Instead, she struts up to Dr. Hopper and firmly presses her mouth to his. His eyes widen, but quickly flutter shut as Ruby wraps her arms around his neck and tilts her head to the side to deepen the kiss. When she finally breaks away, Dr. Hopper's glasses are askew. Mary Margaret looks on with shock at Ruby's boldness.

"Archie," Ruby says again, this time grinning predatorily. "I've been trying to get you to realize for _weeks_. I'm attracted to you. And I know you feel the same way."

Rumplestiltskin snorts. Belle raises an eyebrow at him. "You're in absolutely no position to talk," she whispers. "Up till last night you didn't think I could possibly think of you in that way either."

He smirks. "Yes, well, you made it abundantly clear, didn't you?"

Now it's Belle's turn to snort. "I sure hope so." Rumplestiltskin's eyes gleam as his hand slides inconspicuously down her back. Belle blushes bright red. "That's hardly appropriate," she scolds between her teeth.

"I don't much care," he confesses.

"Ruby," Dr. Hopper is, meanwhile, saying, still flustered from Ruby's advances. "Are… are you free tonight?"

Ruby beams. "I honestly thought you'd never ask."

Mary Margaret claps her hands. "Aw, happy endings for everyone!"


End file.
